Two Senate Democrats called Thursday for the appointment of a special counsel to take over investigation of the corruption scandal spawned by lobbyist Jack Abramoff. The switch ``would ensure that the investigation and prosecution will proceed without fear or favor and provide the public with full confidence that no one in this country is above the law,'' Sens. Chuck Schumer of New York and Ken Salazar of Colorado wrote Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. The two Democrats said that so far, the public integrity section of the Justice Department, which is in charge of the probe, has ``pursued this case appropriately.'' Justice Department spokesman Brian Roehrkasse said ``there is no legal or ethical reason why the attorney general would need to recuse himself from this investigation as it continues to move forward successfully with a career prosecution team.'' ... http://www.guardian.co.uk

Israel has said it will not deal with a Palestinian government including Hamas, following the Islamic militant group's sweeping victory in Palestinian polls. Israeli interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ruled out any talks with "an armed terror organisation that calls for Israel's destruction". The Middle East "Quartet" of mediators - the US, UN, EU and Russia - urged Hamas to renounce violence. Near-complete results gave Hamas 76 of the 132 seats in parliament. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas - who also heads the ruling Fatah party - has said he remains committed to a peaceful settlement. Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei of Fatah has offered to resign, and the party has said it will not join Hamas in government. Hamas' victory poses problems for efforts to restart peace talks with Israel, say analysts. ...http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4652866.stm

The state Assembly on Thursday approved a bill that would add California to the growing number of states seeking to legalize the cultivation of industrial hemp — a biological relative of marijuana. Lawmakers voted 41-30 to pass the bill, sending it to the Senate. If senators also approve it, the proposal would go to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has not taken a position on it.Supporters insist hemp is a safe product that could become a cash crop for farmers because of its use in a long list of products from soap and cosmetics to rope and luggage.The bill's author, Democratic Assemblyman Mark Leno of San Francisco, said passage of the measure marked a milestone."This makes sense," Leno said. "It could provide an opportunity of great value to family farmers. This could be a bonanza of job growth."...http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,182948,00.html

The disparity between rich and poor is growing in America as the federal minimum wage has remained flat for years, union membership has declined and industries have faced global competition, according to a study released Thursday. The report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the Economic Policy Institute, both liberal-leaning think tanks, found the incomes of the poorest 20 percent of families nationally grew by an average of $2,660, or 19 percent, over the past 20 years. Meanwhile, the incomes of the richest fifth of families grew by $45,100, or nearly 59 percent, the study by the Washington-based groups said. Families in the middle fifth saw their incomes rise 28 percent, or $10,218. The figures, based on U.S. Census data, compare the average growth from 1980-82 to 2001-03, after adjusting for inflation. ...http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1546611&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312

Six people died and eight were injured Thursday when a pickup truck that authorities suspect was being used for human smuggling smashed into an 18-wheeler on a remote two-lane highway north of the Mexican border. A Ford F-150 with 13 passengers pulled onto U.S. 281 from a narrow country road about 6 a.m. and hit the rig that was hauling cars, Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Lisa Block said. A stop sign was flattened at the site, but it was unclear whether it was knocked down during or after the wreck. The dead were five men and a woman, Customs and Border Protection spokesman Roy Cervantes said. Block said officials don't know where the deceased are from but that most of the injured are from Mexico....http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1546276&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312

Billions of dollars in projects to improve water, sewer and electrical systems in Iraq could not be completed because the money had to be used to increase security, according to a government audit released Thursday.Nearly one-third — or a total of $5.6 billion — of the $18.4 billion that Congress appropriated for Iraq relief and reconstruction in 2003 was shifted to address the new priorities and heightened security as of last Sept. 30, the audit said.Moving money to those projects ended many plans to repair dams, improve water quality and repair and build sewer systems needed to remove sewage that built up near schools, hospitals and public markets in cities across the country. “Because of the increase in insurgency activities, contractors have had to include better site protection, hardened vehicles for personnel transportation and trained security teams with special communications capability,” the audit said....http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11049207/from/RSS/